Archive for the ‘Photo of the Day’ Category

Is it a high-wing Ercoupe? Is it a forerunner to the Cessna Skymaster?

The Anderson-Greenwood AG-14 is neither, but its history is a fascinating look back to the post-World War II boom in aviation that was widely predicted but never materialized. (The thought was that military pilots would come home and continue to fly, thus propelling the need for new airplane designs.)

A few characteristics of the AG-14:

90-hp Continental engine with a pusher prop

Four (yes, four) pedals to operate: two for the single rudder, one for the hydraulic brakes, and one (actually a foot button) used to engage the electric starter

Two seats plus a baggage compartment that could hold 250 pounds

There’s much more in the pilot report that Barry Schiff wrote for the November 2004 issue of AOPA Pilot,and I hope you’ll read it. The AG-14 he flew is one of only five built, and thought to be one of just two in existence.—Jill W. Tallman

The first time you see an AirCam, you do a double-take. The small twin engines and open cockpit are eye-catching, to say the least. Every pilot I’ve known who’s flown this unusual multiengine Experimental has fallen in love with it. AOPA Pilot Senior Editor Dave Hirschman has made a couple of ferry flights in them, and even when the temps require him to wear a flight suit, he can’t say enough about the perspective one gets from the front seat of the AirCam. Here’s a report he wrote up after ferrying one to Florida with Pilot Getaways co-founder John Kounis. and if you click this link you can watch a video of Hirschman flying the AirCam on another trek—this time from Florida to Minneapolis.—Jill W. Tallman

There’s something about a Stearman, and when you add in a snappy paint scheme like this one has, you’ve got a real winner. This Stearman was photographed over Lake Geneva in 2007. If you had been able to attend any of the 23 annual National Biplane Association fly-ins, you would’ve been able to see many beautiful examples of these fine aircraft. Sadly, the expo held its last event in 2009. Editor Mike Collins wrote about it, and you can read the article online.—Jill W. Tallman

As you know, not all great shots originate from the ground, especially when you’re at an aviation event like Sun ‘n’ Fun. Photographer Mike Collins took to the skies to shoot this view of the vintage aircraft parking area, which you see in the center of the frame. Part of the Light Sport Aircraft area is visible in the foreground.—Jill W. Tallman

Longtime AOPA members know this, but sometimes our Flight Training readers are shocked to learn that, yes, AOPA does give away airplanes from time to time. The airplane in this photo (shot by Mike Collins) is our 1963 Beechcraft Debonair B33. Sometimes called a “Baby Bonanza,” the Debonair is a great airplane all by itself, but once we’re finished the top-to-bottom refurbishment, the winner of this airplane will have a spectacular ride.

We often repurpose the photos our photographers take for Flight Training and AOPA Pilot stories so as to get the most bang for the buck. So the guys you see here might have appeared in an article about older students and younger flight instructors; or flying fathers and sons; or just flying for the pure fun of flying.

I used the photo last week to ask the Flight Training Facebook crew to say something nice about their flight instructors, and I didn’t have to ask twice. More than 50 of you responded. Here are some of my favorites:

Dan Simonds:William Bowen at Airwolf in Greenville SC figured out how to push me hard and get out of the way. He didn’t teach me to fly. He made a pilot of me. Many thanks!

Ken Gardner: I have had several instructors throughout my flying time, two stand out the most and for the same reason, both love to fly for the sake of flying, neither was using being a CFI as a means to an end. Ed Martinez out of KSBD and Flabob in Southern CA.and Drew Kemp of Oakland both pass this love onto their students in the most thoughtful and joyful way. Thank you both!

So there you go, flight instructors; if your earns were burning on Friday, now you know why. Kudos to all the great flight instructors who are changing lives by helping others to realize the dream of flying.—Jill W. Tallman

Not only can you get a type rating in a Ford Tri-Motor (assuming you already have a private pilot certificate), but you can get a type rating in the very airplane shown in this photo. Barry Schiff did just that, and wrote about it in the May 2010 AOPA Pilot (“Tin Goose”).

The company, Ford Type Ratings, is located at Valle Airport near Flagstaff, Ariz. The full three-day type rating costs $10,900, not including the examiner’s fee. A second-in-command type rating is available for $2,900. Schiff called the experience “like flying the pages of history,” and I have to admit it looks like it would be a blast. Of course, you could always purchase a ride in a Tri-Motor at EAA AirVenture and sometimes at airshows. I’ve done that, and it’s a 15-minute slice of fun.—Jill W. Tallman

This isn’t just any Beech Sierra 200—it happens to be the very first one off the production line. At the time Mike Fizer shot this photo, the Sierra 200 was owned by Hamilton Rial III of Austin, Texas.

Senior Editor Al Marsh gave the Sierra a once-over for his July 2005 AOPA Pilot article, “Budget Buy: Cargo Sierra,” which you can read online. In it, he notes some of the airplane’s attributes—it has six seats (or four seats and a huge cargo area); a large cabin with twin front doors (for 1971 and later models )—and some of its lesser qualities: Parts are scarce and expensive; cabin noise is high; and the airplane isn’t known to be a speed demon.—Jill W. Tallman

There’s something thrilling about formation flying—especially when it’s pulled off by professionals who make it look like the art form it truly is.

Here you see three of the four Red Baron Squadron Stearmans in flight. Does Red Baron Squadron sound familiar? It should—the airshow act was once the living aviation embodiment of Red Baron frozen pizza. Sadly, Schwan Foods disbanded the airshow performers in 2007. You can read Senior Editor Al Marsh’s account of how the Red Baron Squadron practiced and performed in this article from AOPA Pilot.

Some people (well, one pilot) tag this unusual Light Sport Aircraft an “armchair in the sky.” That’s not a slap at its handling qualities, but rather a testament to the amazing view provided by the canopy design. The Sky Arrow 600 is an Italian design with a carbon fiber airframe and a Rotax 912 ULS. The engine is on top, which makes preflighting a bit of a pain, according to AOPA Pilot Senior Editor Al Marsh, who flew this airplane for an article in the April 2007 issue. But he had good things to say about its performance characteristics, particularly in a strong, gusty crosswind, which you can watch on the video that’s embedded in the article. Marsh is seen flying the airplane over the Chesapeake Bay, and that’s the dual span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the background.